doolittle



Feb. 9,1926. l 1,572,471

. 1-1. 1.. DooLrrTLE PENSTGK STRUCTURE l Filed may v, 192s l 2 sheets-sheet' 2 l @vr/vraie.-

lm Zi@ ATTORNEYS'.

Patented Feb. 9, 1925.

UNITED STATES HAR-OLD L. DOOLITTLE, OF

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

PENSTDCK STRUCTURE.

Application led. May 7,

To all whom 'it may concer/n.'

Be it known that l, HAROLD L. Declara-Ln, a citizen ot the United States, residing at `Los Angeles, inthe county of Los Angeles and State ot California, have invented a new and useful Fenstock Structure, of which the following is a specification.

illy invention relates to hydraulic engineering and more 'particularly to penstock structures used in large hydraulic power plants. It is common practice in many parts of the country to bring water under considerable pressure down into a power house in which hydraulic turbines are placed. This jw'ater is commonly conducted to the power house through large pipes formed of sheet Ieicel, which are welded or riveted, there being one or more of these large supply pipes leading into the power house. ln the power house it is desirable for economic reasons to provide a plurality of hydraulic turbines and it is desirable to divide each of the larger supply pipes into a plurality of distribution pipes, each leading to a separate tui-bine. A

The problem of making sheet meta-l structuresfwhich will stand the heavy pressures used in high-head hydraulic plants is a difiicult ene. The sheet metal used has a high tensile strength, but the form of structure must be such that the material is substantially all in tension.

lt is an object of my invention to provide a penstoclr structure which can be fabricated conveniently from sheet metal plates and which will stand a' very high internal pressure.

Further objects and advantages will be made evident hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings which are for illustrative purposes only:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an assembled structure.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of same.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of one of the joints employed.

Fig. l is an elevation ot a portion of such joint.

In the form of the invention shown, a

`cylindrical supply pipe 11 is employed. This pipe may be from@ feet to 2O feet in diameter and is connected to the source of water supply. Distribution pipes 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 1f? lare also employed, these pipes leadinggto the individual hydraulic turbines. ,111 the 'form 0f th invention iDeal-atea a 1923. serial No. 637,157.

single supply'pipe 11 is provided and six distribution pipes are provided. The supply pipe 11 is connected into a spherical chamber 20, which is formed of sheet metal welded or riveted, the axis of the pipe 11 being preferably coincident with the center ot the spherical chamber 20. The distribution pipes 12 and 15 are connected into the side ot the chamber in such a manner that their axes at the point of joinder with the chamber are coincident with the center ot the chamber. The chamber 20 is connected through an in-y termediate pipe 21 with the second chamber 22, the axis of the pipe 21 passing through the centers ol' the chambers 2() and 22, and the axes of the pipes 13, 1li, 16, and 1i' at their point of joinder with the chamber also passing through the center of the chanr ber 22.

It is a well-known tact that a cylindrical sheet 'metal' member is a very economical structure to withstand bursting pressures, the material being wholly in tension. spherical chamber may also be made of quite thin material and yet capable of standing considerable bursting pressure. By the use of the spherical chamber 20 we provide a means for taking off the pipe 12, Jfor example, in any direction. The only point of weakness in such a structure comes at the joint between any ot the cylindrical pipes, such for example as that indicated at in Fig. 3, and the wall 31 of either of the spherical chambers 20 or 22. For the purpose of reinforcing the structure at this point, I have provided the means shown in Figs. 8 and 4, which consist of a formed plate 32 connected by rivets 33 to the spherical chamber 31, and by rivets 34; to the cylindrical pipe 30. At the point ot juncture of the two surfaces l apply an annular ring 35, built up of individual plates 36 secured together by rivets 37. This ring is cut away to lit against plate 32, and lead or steel wool is caulled, as shown at 38, inside the ring which is finally secured in place by a second( ring S9. By this form of construction I am able to produce a very strong joint, the ring resisting the bursting strains at the point of juncture of the cylinder and the sphere.

I claim as my invention:

1. A penstock structure adapted to use in hydraulic power plants, comprising: a cylindrical sheet metal supply pipe; a spherical sheet metal chamber to which said supply pipe connectsg and sheet metal distrihutinp; pipes extending from said chamber, said distributing pipes being iarran'ged so that the axes thereof, if prolonged, would pass through the center of said chamber.

A penstock structure composed of sheet metal and comprising: a cylindrical supply pipe; a plurality of cyiindricaldistributing pipes; a chamber between said supply pipe and said distributing pipes; and rein forcing' rings applied to said structure at the intersection of the Walls ofsaid chamber and the 'Walls of each pipe.

A penstock struct'ure'as inclaim 2 in which said reinforcing yrings comprise: a plate secured to thewalls of Said chamber and to the walls ol the joining pi'pe;. and a tension ring` encirclingt said'plate' and reinforcing-same aga-inst bursting stresses.

i ypenstocl; 'structure comprising: a, sul antially spherical sheetmetal chamber of very great diameter relativeto the thickness of' the sheet metal `Walls; .a sl'ieet'inetzil supply pipe for said chamber; and sheet metal Ydistrilniting` pipes 'extendingY from said chamber.

A penstock striicture comprising: a substantially spherical sheet'metal chamber ot oi its sheet metal. Walls; a sheet metal supply pipe `tor said chamber, said pipe hav'- ing` a very'great diameter 'relative to the thickness of its metal Walls; and vsheet'metal distributing 'pipes extending` radially from said chamber.

6. A penstock structure comprieingj: a plurality of substantially spherical cham-- bers; an intermediate pipe connecting each pair of said chambers, said intermediate .pipe havinga considerable diameter relative to the diameter of the chambers a heling composed of sheet metal, the propoie tion of the 'said structure being' extremely greatreletire tothe thickness of said metal walls.

7. A .penstocl'structure ae in claim 6,

in'w'hich all 'of said pipes extend adially Yfrom said chambers.

Apenstock structure `asin claim in which .said reinforcing rings comprise: a 'plate secured tolthe Walls of'said chamber and to the'walls ot said joiningpipe; a tension ring encircling said plate and rein- 'orcing same' against burstingl;l stresses; and `very great (..iaineter relativel to the thickness a securing ring` for retaining said tension 'ringin place.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my vhand at Los Angeles, California, this 30th vday of April 1923.

'HAROLD' L.'DOOLITTLE. 

